Pile-driving machine



FILE DRIVING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1922 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

MICHAEL GAR/MICHAEL DUN SMOBE, 0F STIRLING,

AND Davin onnnrw rarnnson, or

eLascoW, SCOTLAND.

FILE-DRIVILI G Application filed December 11, 1922. Serial No. 606,203.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, MICHAEL GAR- MICHAEL DUNsnonn, \Vindsor Place, Stirling, Scotland, and DAVID CHERRY Paran- SON, 6 'Ruthven Street, Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain "new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Pile-Driving Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of screw pile driving machine which carries its own power unit and gearing for transmitting the power of saidunit to the screw pile.

Such a machine as generally constructed has 'two anchorage arms disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the pile engaging clutch or pile driving shaft and an an- 'choring rope coacting with both arms to form a balanced anchorage, but with such an arrangement difiiculty is often experienced in making the outer anchorage espe cially in constructing a pier or jetty out towards the sea or abroad river.

The objects of our improvements are first, to provide a simpler anchorage comprising only a single arm which is greatly extended in order to reduce to within safe limits the bending moment set up by the pull of the anchorage rope on the pile; vide safety means against overloading'the pile during the driving operation; and third, to afford facilities for the'introdue tion of a water service pipe through the pile driving shaft to clear away obstructions by churning up the soil within the pile and to permit any upward rush of water to overflow without coming into contact with the gearing or other part of the driving mecha nism.

These objects are attained by the machineillustrated in the accompanying draws; in WhiQh Fig. 1 isan elevation of the 2 a plan; and Fig. line 3 3, of Fig. 1.

machine; Fig. 3 a cross section on the Re erring to the drawing, the machine frame comprises a rectangular part 4 for the accommodation of the transmission or reduction gearing, an extension 5 for supporting the prime mover and a longer extension 6 built up as shown to serve as an anchorage arm. The rectangular part 4 of the frame has cross bearers 7, 7 (Fig. 3) which carry second, to proa suitable bearing 8 for the pile driving shaft 9. Mounted for rotation on this shaft is a worm Wheel 10' engaged by a worm 11 on the transmission shaft 12 of a prime mover 13 which, in the illustration, is an electric motor driving the shaft 12 through The whole machine is balanced aboutthe main driving shaft 9, the lower part of which is flanged at 23 for attachment to the head of a pile to be driven, and it'can be slung from a crane or the like by means of a sling 20 attached to the frame; It is preferred to make the flange 23 sufficiently large in diameter to take twoor more series of bolt holes to suit two or more different sizes of pileheads. An adapter may also be employed for the purpose of connecting the pile driving shaft-to pile heads of difi'erent sizes.

At the extremity of the extension 6 of the frame a shackle or equivalent 21 is provided for the attachment of a cable 22 against 'rjotationby meansof the cable 22 then, when the prime moVerlS is set in operation, it rotates the pile driving shaft '9 throughthe worm gearing 10, 11, gear wheel 15, planetary gears 17 pinions 18, andthe central driving wheel 19, thereby screwing down the pile. During this operation; the machine is prevented from rotating bodily by the anchor cable and in the event of an obstruction being encountered which would cause the safe torque on the pile to be exceeded, the clutch 1a in the transmission mechanism slips and thereby prevents damage to the machine. If a pile is to be withdrawn for any reason then, after the machine has been brought into position and the shaft attached to the pile, the latter is ro- .lower part of the tated in a direction opposite to that required for screwing down the pile.

The machine described can be anchored against bodily rotation by means of a single anchoring cable 22 and no special temporary staging for anchorage requires to be provided in advance of the pile which is being driven. Owing to the distance of the point of connection of the anchoring cable to the anchorage arm or extension 6 from the centre of' rotation, which is the axis of the pile driving shaft 9, the actual stress in the cable is very low, nevertheless an adequate effortis produced to counter the tendency of the machine to rotate around the pile while exerting its full torque on the pile being driven. Further, as the tension on the cable is the measure of the landward pull on the pile no heavy bending moment is set up in the pile while it is being driven.

' The main shaft 9 is made hollow to allow of a water service pipe being let down through the pile to clear away obstructions by churning up the soil by the force of a water jet and slots 24 are formed in the shaft so that any upward rush of water through the pile will overflow through said slots clear of the gearing or other moving parts of the machine.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details of the mechanism vherein described as various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, an internal. combustion engine or other prime mover may be employed in lieu of the electric driving motor 13 and other types of clutch and other forms of transmission or reduction gearing including change speed gearing may be employed instead of those herein described and illustrated. Further, instead of a slipping clutch the anchor cable 22 may be chosen of such a strength that it will break when a predetermined load is reached and beyond which the safe torque on the power and stop the machine as by breaking or withdrawing an electric plug and socket connection attached thereto and through which current is supplied to the motor.

Having now fully described our invention what we claim an desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 frame; a prime mover; a

pile would be exceededand in doing so will out off the 1. In a self contained screw pile driving machine the combination of a frame, a single anchorage arm forming a long extension of said frame, means rotatably carried by said frame for attachment to the pile to be driven, and a prime mover means.

2. In a self contained screw pile driving machine, the combination of a frame, a single anchorage arm forming a long extension of said frame, a hollow pile driving shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and formed with openings at its lower end, and a prime mover for rotating said shaft while said frame is held through said anchorage arm.

3. In a self-contained screw pile driving machine, the combination of a frame; means rotatably mounted on said frame for attaching it to the head of the pile; a laterally extending anchorage arm at one side of said laterally extending support for the prime mover on the opposite side of said frame, to that of the anchorage arm, said support and prime mover serving to balance the anchorage arm; gearing on said rotatable attachment means for the pile and gearing mounted concentrically with the axis of the pile on said frame said gearing being driven by the prime mover, and driving the gearing on the rotatable attachfor rotating said ment means.

4. In a self contained screw pile driving machine the combination of a frame; means rotatably mounted on said frame for attaching it to the head of the pile; a laterally extending anchorage arm at one side ofsaid frame; a prime mover; a laterally extending support for the prime mover side of said frame,to that of the anchorage arm, said support and prime mover serving to balance the anchorage arm; gearing on said rotatable attachment means for the pile; gearing mounted concentrically with the pile on said frame meshing with the gearing on-the rotatable attachment means; a worm wheel mounted on the frame coaxially with the screw pile and a diagonally disposed worm drive for said worm wheel from the prime mover.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

MICHAEL CARMICHAEL DUNSMORE. DAVID CHERRY PATERSON.

on the opposite 

